Nurses Know! - Cervical Cancer Facts

By Ruth Young RN.

Cervical Cancer
What is cervical cancer? According to the National Cancer Institute it is cancer that forms in the tissues of the cervix which is the organ that connects the uterus to the vagina. This topic is of interest to me because Cervical Cancer is one that is preventable and treatable if detected early on, but there are many who are still unaware of how it is caused. This disease is caused by many factors, but the most common cause is an infection called Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
There are over 100 strains of this virus and of the 100 strains; about 60 are those which causes warts on hands and feet. The other 40 affect the mucosal area, such as the anal and genital area. While most women’s bodies would be able to rid them of HPV, some aren’t able to, and it may develop into Cancer. This is why it of great importance to have an annual pap smear performed if you’re sexually active. According to the American Cancer Society some other risks factors for HPV are:
1. Immunosuppression (ex. HIV ,STD's)
2. Family history
3. Smoker
4. Lower socioeconomic status
5. Multiple pregnancies
Cervical cancer is usually slow growing and may not present any symptoms, but can be found with regular Papanicolaou smear exams (Pap smear). During the pap smear exam, some of the cells are scrapped from the cervix and sent off to the lab to be examined under the microscope, where they’re looking for any cell changes. According to the National Cancer Institute some signs and symptoms are moderate pain during intercourse, vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain and unusual vaginal discharge.
Primary prevention would include abstinence, education on barrier contraceptive methods (Clark, 452), and vaccination. For secondary prevention, screening such as Pap smear and HPV tests which would help detect if one is at risk for cervical cancer, and early detection is key. The HPV tests looks for the virus that can cause these abnormal cell changes. (CDC) Tertiary prevention should focus on prevention of recurrence of the disease through re-infection.

Written by Ruth Young RN with minor editing by Shirley Comer RN.